Pier Element Internal Forces

The wall pier element internal forces are similar to the frame element internal forces. They are:

 P, the axial force

 V2, the shear force in the 1-2 plane
 V3, the shear force in the 1-3 plane
 T, the axial torque
 M2, the bending moment in the 1-3 plane (about the 2-axis)
 M3, the bending moment in the 1-2 plane (about the 3-axis)

The positive directions of these forces are exactly the same as those described for the frame
element.

These internal forces and moments are present at every cross section along the height of the wall
pier element. They are reported only at the ends (top and bottom) of the pier element. The pier
internal forces and moments are reported in the pier element local coordinate system.

Wall Pier Local Axes for a Two-Dimensional Pier

Typically a wall pier is made up of one or more wall-type area objects or a combination of one or
more wall-type area objects and one or more column-type line objects. The local axes of these
two-dimensional wall piers are defined as follows:

 The local 1 axis extends from the bottom of the pier to the top of the pier. The positive
local 1 axis is in the same direction as the positive global Z-axis. The positive local 1-axis
points from the i-end of the pier to the j-end of the pier.
 The local 1-2 plane is in the plane of the two-dimensional wall pier. The positive local
axis 2 is horizontal and it has a positive projection on the global X-axis, or if the plane of
the pier is oriented parallel to the global Y-Z plane, axis 2 is in the same direction as the
positive global Y-axis.
 The local 3 axis is horizontal and perpendicular to the plane of the pier. The direction of
the positive local 3 axis is determined from the right-hand rule.

In the special case where a wall pier is made up of a single column-type frame element, the local
axes of the pier are the same as those of the frame element.

If a wall pier is made up of two or more column-type frame elements, but no area objects, the
local axes of the pier are the same as those of the first defined frame element. To confirm the
local axes orientation in this unusual case, view them graphically using the View menu > Set
Display Options command.

Wall Pier Local Axes for a Three-Dimensional Pier

In a three-dimensional wall pier, the local axes are defined as follows:

 The local 1 axis extends from the bottom of the pier to the top of the pier. The positive
local 1 axis is in the same direction as the positive global Z-axis.
 The local 2-axis is parallel to the longest leg of the wall. The positive local 2 axis has a
positive projection on the global X-axis or if the 2-axis is parallel to the global Y-axis
then the positive 2-axis is in the same direction as the positive Y-axis.
 The direction of the positive local 3 axis is determined by applying the right hand rule.